New way to protect shoreline being tested in San Diego Bay

SAN DIEGO — The Port of San Diego is working with corporations world wide to check blue expertise round San Diego Bay, as a part of the Blue Economic system Incubator program.

The port established its Blue Economic system Incubator in 2016 as a launching pad for sustainable aquaculture and port-related blue expertise ventures. 

Paula Sylvia, program director for Aquaculture and Blue Expertise on the Port of San Diego, says blue expertise is something to do with water, and it is their objective to make San Diego Bay into “Blue Tech Bay,” a catalyst for the area’s Blue Economic system.

“We’ve got a massively numerous Blue Economic system ecosystem in San Diego but in addition alongside the West Coast,” Sylvia mentioned. “Our core worth proposition by way of our incubator is facilitating pilot initiatives. So placing the product within the water the place an organization can take a look at their expertise.”

In alternate for funding or in-kind help supplied to launch the 9 pilot initiatives, the port receives a royalty from the companies’ operations or expertise. Thus far, the Board of Port Commissioners has permitted 9 agreements with early-stage corporations to launch progressive pilot initiatives.

One such mission is ECOncrete’s COASTALOCK interlocking tide swimming pools. COASTALOCK is designed to guard the shore whereas making a tide pool system, doubtlessly changing the standard shore safety of human-placed big rocks referred to as riprap.

Timothy Barrett, program supervisor for Environmental Conservation on the Port of San Diego, says COASTALOCK additionally creates an ecosystem that mimics pure tide swimming pools, versus barren rock.

“Imbedded within the materials is a bio-additive combination, which regulates the pH stage and prioritizes recruitment of native species on it,” Barrett mentioned. “So over time, these replicate a functioning tide pool.”

Simply south of the COASTALOCK tide swimming pools are oyster reef balls, that are additionally part of the Blue Economic system Incubator. They’re a dwelling shoreline, counting on concrete combined with oyster shells to stabilize shorelines rather than conventional rip rap or sea partitions, whereas additionally present habitat for marine life.  

“You may come down right here on any day and see an octopus or a Nice Blue Heron foraging or simply crabs, versus the standard simply type of sterile rock and it creates extra of an engagement and interplay with San Diego Bay,” Barrett mentioned.  

Barrett added that these nature-based initiatives are wonderful options within the face of sea stage rise as a result of they naturally adapt and develop over time. He mentioned they’re nonetheless gathering information, however thus far they’re seeing a richer, extra numerous ecosystem, together with a construction that’s standing as much as the facility of the ocean.

“The overall method to it, it’s letting nature do what nature does,” he mentioned. “That’s the simplicity of nature-based options.”

The port mentioned they’re additionally seeing a decrease ratio of invasive to native species among the many COASTALOCK items in comparison with conventional rip rap.